San Francisco PL Volunteer Program Back After 4-Year Hiatus

S.F. library again open to volunteers. (San Francisco Chronicle, 5/25/2011)

Excerpt:  With open doors for everyone from scholars to the homeless, the San Francisco Public Library always has been the city's most accessible civic institution. Unless you wanted to volunteer.

For four years, until late January, people wanting to help out at the library were politely told, "Thanks, but no thanks," and then referred to the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

But now those would-be helpers are sent directly to the library's new volunteer program coordinator for training and assignment. After spending months rebuilding the volunteer structure, Kai Wilson is holding the first orientation at the Main Library today, and it's something she plans to do monthly.

"Since January, I've had over 90 inquiries from the public, and that's not including old volunteers I followed up with," she said.